THE UNCONSOLED

Listen,' he was saying, 'everything always seems very bad at the time. But it all passes, nothing's ever as bad as it looks

Leave him be, Boris. Let him go around the world, giving out his expertise and wisdom. He needs to do it. Let's just leave him to it now.'

had only known him for a few days

need to go somewhere bigger, study under someone like Lubetkin or Peruzzi. I realise now I can never reach the levels I want to here, not in this city.

What I'm reporting is how everyone here remembers it.'

Wherever you're going now, you'll have to go by yourself.

Please be warm to him again. Like you used to be. He so misses it.'

You're worth more than the whole room of them put together.'

They're not going to turn on you,' Sophie broke in again. 'You say this every time. From all over the world you phone to say the same thing. Whenever you reach this point. They're going to turn on me, they're going to find me out. And what happens? A few hours later you call again, and you're very calm and self-satisfied.

don't know what it is, I just can't manage in situations like that. I'm going to have to face it. I'll never be the sort who can travel with you from city to city, accompanying you at all these functions. I just can't do it. I'm sorry.'